Cart

Blue Light Glasses for Migraine: Do They Help?

“My job’s lighting was really affecting my vision and my overall being,” says Cory from Florida. “I was leaving work with migraines and had become extremely sensitive to light that I would come home and lie in the dark.”

If you are like Cory and your eyes bother you after working on your computer, watching TV, or staring at a smartphone, it could be digital eye strain related to the blue-violet light emitted by electronic LED screens. This light is also known to adversely affect your ability to sleep (nearly 80 percent of Americans report using digital devices within an hour of heading for bed).

“Blue blockers” or blue light glasses can help protect your eyes from overexposure to this blue-violet light. While these glasses have become increasingly popular to help with eye strain from looking at screens, for people with migraine disease, blue blocking glasses are not the answer for their light sensitive symptoms.

For example, Christina is a 40 years migraine sufferer from Illinois whose profession requires long 12 hour days primarily at a computer.

“Despite numerous [blue light] filter changes to my computer screen,” she says, “I still suffered tremendous pressure behind my eyes at the end of each and every day until now.”

If blue light glasses and filters are not helpful for people with migraine disease, who are they good for? And what can people with migraine use to help with their sensitivity to light?

What You Should Know About Blue-Violet Light

According to the Vision Council, “about 80 percent of American adults report using digital devices for more than two hours per day with nearly 67 percent using two or more devices simultaneously, and 59 percent report experiencing symptoms of digital eye strain.” Those symptoms may include:

Dry eyes

Headaches

Blurred vision

Neck and shoulder pain

Because this blue-violet light makes your eyes work harder to see contrast, it can cause you to need a break. To help avoid the strain, experts advise you to use the 20-20-20 rule. That is, every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Or, just get up for a drink or a snack (which you want to do anyway, right?).

Blue Light Glasses for Migraine

Blue light glasses are designed to block blue-violet light, which may help ease the discomfort of overexposure. However, the wavelengths of light that typically trigger migraines are blue-green, not blue-violet. So while blue blocking glasses can reduce eye strain, they don’t block the specific type of light that has been shown to aggravate and trigger migraine attacks.

The Difference Between Blue Light Glasses & Migraine Glasses

Axon Optics’ migraine glasses are designed to block the blue-green light specifically associated with migraines. In fact, many studies have shown our tint’s effectiveness in blocking the light shown to trigger and aggravate migraines associated with light sensitivity.

After trying many filters Christina tried Axon Optics glasses:

“My glasses have been a life saver. My eye pressure and strain has completely resolved. Why did I ever wait to make the purchase?”

Cory had a similar experience.

“I purchased these after first trying a pair of blue light glasses (thinking they would work but they didn’t) and I couldn’t be happier! These glasses saved me!… I can’t go to work without them.”

Dr. Bradley J. Katz, neuro-ophthalmologist at the University of Utah explains, “Most blue blocking glasses do not block the wavelengths of light that activate the pain sensitive cells in your eye. Those cells are activated by light at about 480 nanometers which is a blueish/greenish light, and most blue blocking lenses only come down to about 450 nanometers, so they’re just not designed to help with pain.”

Being bothered by blue light doesn’t necessarily mean you have photophobia. If you don’t have photophobia, then you’ll probably get some relief from overexposure to blue light with traditional blue blocker glasses. But if you do have photophobia, you’re likely to receive much more benefit with Axon Optics’ tinted lenses, which are specifically designed for light sensitive people.

Blue Light Glasses are designed to block blue-violet wavelengths of light associated with headaches from digital eye strain, while Axon Optics Migraine Glasses are designed to block the blue-green wavelengths of light associated with triggering migraine attacks

Try Migraine Glasses Instead

The truth is, blue blocking glasses just don’t block the right wavelength of light to be effective for those with photophobia and migraines. If you have photophobia, Axon Optics’ precision-tinted lenses can block the specific type of light that has been shown to aggravate and trigger migraine attacks. They come with a 30-day guarantee. Try them and see how they can help you live with fewer migraines.

What has been your experience trying blue light or migraine glasses? Have any questions? Feel free to comment below, we’re eager to hear from you.

“Relief At Last”

I have tried different glasses ordered from the internet to help block out blue light which caused significant eye pain. They would all help to some degree but not for long and I would often end up with not only eye pain but migraines. These glasses from Axon Optics work great! No more eye pain or migraines! -Nickie